A Staff Officer with the 23rd Corps Remembers Resaca

The following letter about the Battle of Resaca was written by an officer serving on the staff of Brigadier General Jacob D. Cox. Cox commanded the Third Division of the 23rd Corps and the officer was on detached service with Cox from the 103rd Ohio. The 103rd Ohio was part of the Second Brigade of Cox’s division in General Mahlon D. Manson’s brigade (65th Illinois, 63rd and 65th Indiana, 24th Kentucky, 103rd Ohio, and 5th Tennessee) and at Resaca was led initially by Colonel John Casement; the wounding of General Manson elevated Casement to brigade command and devolved command of the 103rd unto Captain William W. Hutchinson who was killed in battle.

          The life of a staff officer on the field could be filled with danger as this officer describes. Dodging Confederate shell fire, he witnessed one shell pass “not more than a foot from my right side, which I can see distinctly turning end over end and the air was very severe, but fortunately it did not explode, or it would have been good evening with me.” His account of Resaca appeared in the June 6, 1864 issue of the Cleveland Morning Leader.

 

 

Forage cap with corps badge from the Third Division, 23rd Army Corps

Cartersville, Georgia

May 22, 1864

 

          The enemy were in a strongly fortified position on a thickly wooded ridge and in assaulting them we were exposed to their storming fire of shell, grape, and canister. We were nearly across and were slightly covered by the hill they were on when General [Jacob] Cox discovered that General [Henry M.] Judah’s division was not following up on our right. I, being the only staff officer with the General at the time, he sent me across that valley of death to notify General [John] Schofield of the fact, and it so happened that I got directly in range of their shells fired at the left of our division. I heard the messengers coming, looked behind and saw one explode about 30 feet behind me. A few steps on and another burst about ten feet on my left. While crossing a small fence an awful shrieking shell went directly under my horse, broke a rotten rail, and exploded not six feet from me; my horse snorted, jumped a little, throwing one foot out of my stirrup, and that’s all. He is a good horse so far as being scared is concerned.

          A moment after, while crossing a small creek, and elongated shell passed not more than a foot from my right side, which I can see distinctly turning end over end and the air was very severe, but fortunately it did not explode, or it would have been good evening with me. I never will want a warmer place. I crossed that field five times afterwards where iron and lead fairly rained in sheets and when General [Charles] Harker’s brigade crossed over to our support, I was sent out to the center of his line to direct him to General Cox. It was hot then, too. General Harker is a brave and gallant officer. Standing in his stirrups, his sword waving high, cheering his men, he seemed the only man on the field so marked was his figure. I had not trouble finding him and when there thought every Rebel in their works was firing at us.


Battlefield of Resaca, Georgia


          A few minutes after, while Generals Harker, [Mahlon] Manson, and Cox with his staff were standing together, a shot was directed at us which exploded directly over General Manson’s head, knocking him from his horse, causing a severe concussion of the brain, wounding General Harker in the leg, and almost deafening General Cox such that he couldn’t hear a word for several minutes. It was so close that its blast fairly blinded us for several seconds and its heat was quite intense. Our division lost very heavily in the engagement more than any other in the whole battle.

          The 103rd Ohio lost about 100 in killed and wounded; Captains Hutchinson and Philpot were among the number. Hutchinson was as brave as a lion. Captain Philpot was shot through the body by a shell, tearing him fearfully. Our color sergeant, a member of Co. E, was shot through the head. The regiment was flat on the ground, but he stood bravely waving the colors and when he fell he clasped the flag and went with it. One of the color guard immediately grasped it until he dropped, and so on until the whole color guard was killed or wounded. We were for hours under the most terrible fire that ever took place on the same ground.

Drummer of 103rd Ohio
103rd OVI Museum


          We supported the 20th Corps (Hooker’s) on the extreme left of the line. The 23rd Corps has shown itself well and General Schofield is very proud of it, particularly so of the Third Division. We took two lines of rifle pits which is work enough for one day, especially under such a murderous fire. General Judah of the Second Division has been relieved because his command suffered so severely without accomplishing much.

          Tomorrow we start again on a 20 days’ campaign and we expect very hard times. We have got to dislodge the Rebels from the Altoona Mountains. Many a brave man by die doing it. I simply pray to God to protect me and in I go. General Cox is very lucky; he has never lost a staff officer, but the Lord knows he used them lavishly on the battlefield, and do I know it!

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